The Metaphysical View of Death and Life After Death Part 11

To conclude this section may we just add that				self-centered desires
Newton's subjects emphasize strongly that God
is never once seen in the higher realms,				5) Death of sleep
although a strong feeling of a Supreme Power
is felt ruling the ongoings of devachan, or				6) Death of the physical and etheric bodies
"heaven," and the kinetic motion of magnetic
streams of energy flowing in the atmosphere				7) Death of the astral body
and environment. This truth denounces certain
religious beliefs that in heaven one would				8) Death of the mental form
finally see God face to face--for while on
earth one may not see God's face and live,				We will briefly describe each one: death to
one would surely behold God's countenance in				higher realities and verities, and the death
heaven. This principle has been				to higher awareness of divinity are related.
vmisunderstood and misinterpreted for the				This is in fact the involutionary path of the
past two thousand years; it should actually				soul as it descends for the first time in a
be understood in a mystical rather than in a				new cycle of manifestation, or "manvantara."
literal manner. It reminds us of Gautama				In involution the soul loses a certain
Buddha's silence when questioned about				awareness only to regain it with an
God--the implication of his subtle answer				enhancement during the Path of Return. Most
revealing a profound truth to the initiated.				souls prolong this period of ignorance and
				awareness of higher multidimensional truths
Summarizing the scientific viewpoint on death				by their own free-will.
and the afterlife--based on years of careful
psychical, parapsychological research--the				Death of one's slumber in matter is the
following conclusions have been reached:				awakening of the soul's aspiration to
				spiritual possibilities--paradoxically, it
1) That humans are essentially immaterial in				could also mean being spiritually
nature and that the human essence, or				unconscious; this is followed by the death,
self-awareness, survives physical death.				or transcendence of the false ego and its
				expressions in the movement within the
2) That human soul-units exist at				evolutionary spiral. The death of sleep
differentiated levels of awareness in				occurs every night as the soul takes flight
dimensions beyond the physical				to subtle worlds. Death of the physical and
light-spectrum, beyond the reach of physical				etheric bodies occur when one leaves the
sensory perception.				present incarnation for the astral world.
				This is followed by the deaths of the astral
3) That contact with departed souls is a				and mental forms as the soul rises higher and
possible feat under certain conditions and				higher to rest for a period in the causal
circumstances.				body before preparing to reincarnate.

4) That all human soul-units periodically				Knowledge of the nature of death and the
re-embody or reincarnate to continue their				other worlds are important subjects for every
evolution.				metaphysician. As said earlier in this paper,
				in the course of one's metaphysical ministry,
5) That all re-embody according to the law of				one would often encounter individuals in
causation, or karma; or soul desire.				bereavement requiring comfort and solace.
				Equipped with a higher understanding of the
DISCUSSIONS				nature of death and the purpose of life,
				metaphysicians are in a better position to
As we have seen in the previous chapter,				enlighten humanity, and to fulfill one of
death according to the various traditions,				their functions as ministers. To Catholics,
metaphysical experiences and modern				administering the "Extreme Unction," or the
scientific discoveries, does not annihilate				last sacrament to the dying may be considered
the human soul; and relationships formed on				vital. But to the metaphysician, much more is
the physical plane do not cease at the				required to guide the soul through the dying
termination of one's incarnation, as is				process. With the appropriate knowledge and
normally believed; also, one's aspirations,				occult ability, the metaphysician may assist
goals and ambitions, though simply and				souls in making a more meaningful transition.
seemingly cut-short prematurely at a stroke				Deathbed-rites of an occult formula and
of the scythe by the grim reaper called				design, taking the bardo into consideration,
death, is actually brought over to the				are needed by those engaged in the
Otherside for a further strategic development				metaphysical field.
that would bloom in a later incarnation. We
have also seen that the nature of death and				The importance and purpose of life should be
the afterlife can be known to those who are				appended and stressed in those rites as a
willing to develop the necessary sensory				lesson not only for the departed, but for
faculties of the astral form and its ability				those who are left behind. An experience of a
of soul-flight. Additionally, we have dealt				loss of a beloved one through the portals of
somewhat of the nature of heaven and hell,				death on the part of grieving and confused
including the Judgment, from the various				individuals should be looked upon by
metaphysical, religious and scientific				metaphysicians as opportunities for the
perspectives. We have described and hinted of				sowing of the seeds of truth into their
some of the ways and means of avoiding those				receptive consciousness. Metaphysicians as
undesired experiences, states and conditions				farmers in the vineyard of truth should play
to be found in the bardo, and even in the				their part perfectly. By offering various
lower astral. Non-attachment to the physical				truths concerning the nature of death-truths
form and earthly life is helpful in the				that are rational, logical, helpful and
process of a peaceful and easy transition,				spiritually stimulating--we improve the whole
and in a smooth journey through the				image of the metaphysical ministry in the
bardo--this ought to be kept in mind. And				minds of the public. The more metaphysicians
lastly, with the descriptions by subjects of				have to offer to the public as to occult and
NDEs and communications from the beyond				esoteric knowledge and as to the expressions
concerning the death process, we can be				of their high psychism, the more will the
assured that dying does not have to entail				public's awareness be stirred and lifted to a
any mental, emotional or physical agony; on				higher plane of consciousness. Metaphysics as
the contrary, it may result in one of the				a synthesis of religious, spiritual,
most joyful states that average souls may				philosophical, and scientific truths has the
experience at its present evolutionary level.				capacity to offer what traditional forms of
It provides a certain pre-taste of what the				religion, science and modern philosophies are
nirvanic state is like when once the soul is				incapable of offering--that is, real help.
liberated and fully aware of its divine unity
with All That Is.				SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS

Humans may fear death, but "being dead" is				In the Introduction of this paper we
actually the present state of awareness of				presented the purpose and the need of why
most people. To be unaware of one's higher				this subject had to be written and
microcosmic principles is simply a				discussed--of the importance of its place in
consciousness of death. What separates the				the metaphysical ministry as well as its
seen from the unseen is the level of one's				influence upon the individual and society as
waking consciousness, and the psychological				a whole. This purpose was again stressed in
impurities within one's subconscious mind.				the previous chapter. In order to organize
There are several components in the microcosm				our thoughts regarding the subject, we
making up what we call the divine, human				formulated several themes that would be the
being. The more components we are aware and				basis for the structure of our paper. Our
conscious of, the more alive we become in the				fundamental themes consisted of the
spiritual sense. Non-experience of the higher				following:
principles and realities do not mean that
they do not exist, it is just that the				1) The survival of personal consciousness
faculty for higher perception has not yet
been developed. Fear is what closes the veil				2) The process of transition
to spiritual knowing. When we fear, we
circumscribe our consciousness. Fear of the				3) The nature of life after so-called death
unknown, is the ignorance of the source of
our fear. Identification with mortal				The structure of our findings and of this
principles simply perpetuates (or				paper, was based upon four perspectives:
perpetrates?) one's mortal existence as a
normal human being--and it also maintains				1) Religion/mythology
one's fears. We are meant to be perfect--as
advised by the Piscean Master--perfect in				2) The occult tradition
consciousness, in knowledge, and in
awareness. Attaining immortality, or				3) Tibetan Buddhism
awareness of such, requires the shedding of
mortal concepts, beliefs, attitudes and				4) Parapsychology
feelings. With such spiritual labour we
gradually build the link between the lower				From each perspective, we initially dealt
and higher principles and ensure the				with the basic themes from a certain point of
continuity of consciousness, and the				view, but ended up with the same findings,
awareness of the illusory nature of death.				the same conclusions, and the same cosmic
With each extermination of a false concept we				truths; nevertheless, among the above
become more alive in a spiritual sense.				perspectives, there is still much to be said
Death, "the last enemy," as declared in				about religion as a whole that has somewhat
scriptures, though inevitable, will be				misrepresented the spiritual truths as taught
swallowed up in victory when once its				by their founders. We are certain, though,
maya-nature is understood and the continuity				that every metaphysician would research into
of consciousness acquired. Death will then				this subject sooner or later as it is
lose its sting. Death ends when once the				mentally and spiritually rewarding. In years
multidimensionality of one's being is				to come "death" will be a time of celebration
realized, and when once one's liberation from				and not a time of mourning as it is now.
the wheel of reincarnation is attained. What
we call death is an illusion. This is echoed				Finally, in the fifth chapter, we discussed
in the words of the Taoist poet, Chuang Tzu:				on humanity's basic psychological
				problem--that of senseless fear. We have seen
"Birth is not a beginning, death is not an				how this fear robs man of his or her true
end."				life as a divine son or daughter of God
				living an abundant life in the here and now.
Fear simply robs individuals of their				We have also briefly discussed how the
physical, emotional, mental and spiritual				elimination of the fear of death would
energies--energies which could be used for				transform the individual and society as a
more constructive and creative purposes. When				whole.
enlightened of the nature of death, like
Socrates, we will not fear it; and this				To sublimate and transcend this fear
knowledge, understanding, and enlightenment				condition that overwhelms society we suggest
would greatly help humanity to live an				that additional research be conducted into
abundant life, as promised by Master Jesus.				along the lines of soul-investigation, and
Like a chain effect, the awareness of the				into the many other principles of the bardo
non-existence of death and the truth of man's				process not discussed or discovered by
purpose for being would improve the quality,				Tibetan Lamas. Ways of researching into this
nature, and service of every governmental				should be conducted in a scientific and
department and institution, affecting				intuitive manner, though this may not always
society's consciousness, development and				be through conventional methods. Researchers
welfare. But to return to the emotion of fear				should not fear probing into the invisible,
ingrained in Man, there are several				into the immaterial, or into the abstract.
principles that assist one to "die" without				Through research within a single avenue,
fear:				other possibilities will present themselves.
				An answer to a single question begets many
1) Non-attachment to physical form, earthly				more questions, ad infinity; thus humanity
possessions, and relationships.				progresses.

2) Understanding that death is natural and				Bibliography
that it does not end one's aspirations.
				Agrippa, Henry Cornelius 1995 Three Books of
3) Understanding and being aware of one's				Occult Philosophy. Llewellyn Publications,
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3) Preparation through spiritual practices				Bailey, Alice 1972 A Treatise on White Magic.
such as meditation, purification, and the				Lucis Publishing Company, London.
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				Barrie, Donald C. 1991 You Need Not Age Nor
4) The unfoldment of love and compassion.				Die! Finbarr International, Folkestone,
				England.
From a higher perspective, death is no enemy.
It is a merciful friend that grants us rest				Budge, E.A. Wallis (Trans) 1953 Book of the
at a time when we need it. It provides a				Dead, The. Routledge & Kegan Paul, Ltd.
moment's respite until we re-engage ourselves				London.
in the battle of life through another
incarnation with new--or old, unlearned				Chaney, Earlyne 1989 Mystery of Death and
experiences. What is important is the				Dying, The. Samuel Weiser, York Beach, Maine.
assimilation of experience, for if it does
not take place, it will have to be undergone				Currie, Ian 1995 You Cannot Die. Element
again and again until the lesson inherent in				Books Ltd, Dorset, England.
each one is learnt by the soul; this can
sometimes prove to be wearisome. Life on				Drolma, Delog Dawa 1995 Delog: Journey to
earth should not be seen as a chance				Realms Beyond Death. Padma Publishing,
happening, as a biological occurrence in time				Junction City, CA.
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by chaotic forces. Life is Real, is the only				Evans-Wentz, W.Y. (ed) 1975 Tibetan Book of
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that life was formed on the earth plane for a				England.
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awareness-principle at deeper levels of				the Tibetan Books of the Dead. Shambhala
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prior to incarnation. The purpose or intent
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once the "waters of Lethe" is drunk during				Consciousness. Prism Press, Dorset, England.
the process of birthing.
				Lodo, Lama 1987Bardo Teachings: The Way of
Our main task set by evolution is to be aware				Death and Rebirth, Snow Lion Publications,
or more conscious of the "unconscious" levels				Ithaca, New York.
of the mind; thus transcending the state of
mediocrity or mortality. Mortal beings are				Ma`sumian, Farnaz 1995 Life After Death.
not courageous enough to think, contemplate				Oneworld Publications, Oxford, England.
or face the conditions of death, they thus
miss the true opportunities that life				Newton, Michael 1995 Journey of Souls.
affords. When one fears death, one has not				Llewellyn Publications, Minnesota.
yet begun to live. "Death" to average
individuals, is always thought of in				Poe. Lori M. 1995 Journeys to Worlds Beyond.
connection with other people and never their				The Place of Light Publisher, Cincinatti,
own. This refusal to be spiritually-aware				Ohio.
bind souls to an unproductie life in the
cosmic scheme. This is the complaint of all				Ramacharaka, Yogi (Year not given) Life
mystics concerning the sons of men. In the				Beyond Death, The. Yogi Publication Society,
Old Testament we read,				Chicago, ILL.

"Man lies down and never rises. They rouse				Rinpoche, Bokar 1993 Death and the Art of
not from their sleep." (Job 14:12)				Dying, Clearpoint Press, San Francisco, CA.

From what we have said so far, it may be				Rinpoche, Chokyi Nyima 1991 Bardo Guidebook,
surmised that there are various forms of				The. Ranjung Yeshe Publications, Hong Kong.
death, and this is true. St. Paul hints of
this when he declared, "I die daily" (I Cor				Saraydarian, Torkom 1993 Science of
15:31). We tabulate the forms of death in the				Meditation, The. Aquarian Educational Group,
following:				Sedona, Arizona.

1) Death to higher realities and verities				-- 1983 Cosmos in Man. Aquarian Educational
				Group, Sedona, Arizona
2) Death to a higher awareness of divinity
				Swedenborg, Emanuel 1958 Heaven and its
3) Death of one's slumber in matter				Wonders and Hell. The Swedenborg Society,
				London.
4) Death of the false ego and its carnal,

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The Metaphysical View of Death and Life After Death Part 11